Rúrik Gíslason played a lot of football – but that’s not why he became known. Now “the most beautiful footballer in the world” has a real title to show: He is RTL “Dancing Star 2021”.
Cologne (dpa) – An Icelander melts the floor: The former professional soccer player Rúrik Gíslason has won the RTL dance show “Let’s Dance” with brilliant performances.
The 33-year-old ex-kicker, who was on the pitch in Germany for 1. FC Nürnberg, among others, secured victory in the 14th season of the competition with his dance partner Renata Lusin. At the end of the day, the audience gave the decisive vote: They catapulted the Icelander, who is also called “the most beautiful footballer in the world”, to the top of the dancing celebrity finalists at the last second.
Gíslason was appropriately stunned afterwards. “I would never have thought that,” stammered the athlete. When his name was mentioned, he just dropped to his knees. “Thor has lost all his powers,” he explained the moment – and thus correctly described the scene. The 33-year-old had his final dance in the costume of the hammer-wielding thunder god Thor. What would quickly have looked strange with other candidates, came together with Gíslason to a coherent overall picture: With his steel-blue eyes and the chiseled facial features, the role of gods was made for him.
The Icelander is basically an RTL discovery for German show television. He achieved his celebrity status during the 2018 World Cup, when an audience of millions suddenly wondered who the good-looking kicker is who is playing for the outsider Iceland. Before coming on as a substitute in a game against Argentina, he had around 30,000 Instagram followers – a little later there were more than a million.
It was also the massive popularity of the audience that made him the “Let’s Dance” winner. According to jury points, actress Valentina Pahde (26) was initially ahead in the final. Together with her dance partner Valentin Lusin – husband of Renata Lusin – she got the maximum number of 90 points in three dances and was showered with praise.
“More is not really possible,” judged the usually strict judge Joachim Llambi after the couple’s rumba. “Marilyn will be very happy,” said co-juror Jorge González after Pahde had conjured a homage to Marilyn Monroe on the floor as a final dance – including a white dress and ventilation shaft. In her main job, Pahde plays the granddaughter of villain Jo Gerner on the soap “Gute Zeiten, Bad Zeiten”.
But Gíslason had danced brilliantly and stayed within striking distance. The showpiece was his fast-paced jive to “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin. Llambi explained that this would actually require more than the possible 10 points per judge. “That was bombastic,” said his jury colleague Motsi Mabuse. “I thought Renata was going to die! Really! ”Explained Jorge González. Gíslason’s partner had just flown across the floor.
Reality candidate Nicolas Puschmann (30), who became famous through the gay dating show “Prince Charming”, went home with the bronze medal. With his dance partner Vadim Garbuzov he had formed the first male couple in the German edition of the dance show. They also got very good jury ratings (Llambi: “No mistake. Nothing.”), But were ground a bit in the duel of the top dancers.
All of the finalists had left a number of other celebrities behind on their way to the showdown. Among other things, the former “Tagesschau” spokesman Jan Hofer (69) dropped out of the competition. Most of the candidates were allowed to show their skills again in the final. However, musician Ilse DeLange was not there, who reported via video message and reported that she was in quarantine. But you don’t have to worry about them: “I’m fine.”
The winner Rúrik Gíslason also gave a few insights into his life on the evening of the final. Not only did his brother-in-law report that the family was a little surprised by the footballer’s dancing skills. Gíslason also seems to want to feel at home in Germany now. “I’m staying in Germany,” he said. He is serious. “I’m looking for an apartment here in Germany. I want to live here. “
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210529-99-783491 / 5
